Chapter 02: Princesses Sword Fight

August, 26, 1900

Ryujin's POV

I quickly looked at them, and they looked at me as well. They all looked at me, for answers but even I don't know what to do in this situation. We all just stood there, like a bunch of idiots.

"There you guys are, what's all the ruckus we can practically hear you guys, over the garden." A voice that I never want to hear ever again, they quickly turned around and hid us.

"Father..." I said, and it grabbed their attention.

"Yuna, whose there?" I heard father say. I quickly looked at Beomgyu, and held his hand, because I was nervous, he held it back, and I can feel that he was comforting me.

"N-Nobody, Father...." I heard Yuna say, obviously trying to hide the fact that we're here.

"Really, Princess Yuna? You eyes are telling me something else." I heard King Jungkook say, and heard some walking sounds.

"I already said, there's nobody here." She said, and standing firm to the ground.

"Sister, is there really nothing there?" I heard a Female ask somebody.

"You heard Princess Yuna. There's nobody there." I heard Yeji eonni say, coldly that is.

'I didn't know that Yeji eonni has a younger sibling...' I thought and looked at Yeji eonni's direction.

"Oh really?" I heard the Female voice once again.

"Move aside and let us see then." I heard King Jungkook say, and I can already see him.

"What if I don't want to?" Yuna asked him.

"Then, I'm really sorry for what I am about to do." King Jungkook said, and pushed Yuna away, making her drop to the floor.

Once Yuna, was lying on the ground, I heard footsteps, but those footsteps, quickly stopped I looked at the person, once I saw the person, I was also stuck to the ground I didn't know what to do. It was her, it was Mel. The one who helped me run away, my most loyal personal maid.

She was looking right at me. I then realized that, I was already seen. I held Beomgyu's hand tighter than before. I quickly looked at the other royalties in the place.

I saw the ones from Alynthi, the ones from Asterin, and of course the ones from our kingdom. Clarines, didn't really need an introduction, as this is their own kingdom. I quickly looked at my parent's direction and there I saw my Mother having tears on her eyes.

"Ryujin..." Mother said, and looked at me up and down, with an apologetic look on her face.

"Mother..." I said, and looked down.

"You're alive... I can't believe it. My baby's alive... Yoongi look our baby Ryujin is alive, our baby that we thought died..." Mother said, and cried.

"Mother, why are you like that, I'm nothing but a big disappointment in the family..." I murmured, but then I felt Beomgyu's hand grip tighter, I looked at him, and he looked like he can kill somebody.

I was literally just staring at her, and she was doing the same for me. It's weird, that I'm not confident this time, but, before I was always confident no matter what I do, but now, I couldn't find that.

"Ryujin...." I heard my mother say, I looked and saw her opening her arms to signal me for a hug, without thinking for a second, I quickly let go of Beomgyu's hand and ran towards her and hugged her very tight.

'I really miss this... I really miss her... I miss them...' I thought, and I felt that she hugged back.

But, while I was hugging my parents, I heard people whispering.

"She's the so-called 'Prodigy Princess'?"

"Isn't she supposed to set a good example for the next generations of royalties?"

"She isn't worth it for that kind of title, if I do say so myself."

"They said, she can do anything. And yet here she is right now, busy helping another kingdom than hers."

"You know, I heard that Prince Hyunjin of Alynthi was courting her."

"I know right? What did he even see in that girl?"

"She's just another delinquent or rebel."

"Even Princess Minju can steal that title from her, if she doesn't fix herself."

"She needs to proclaim herself. For their kingdom to stand up, once again."

"I wonder what happened to cause such ruckus, there."

"Maybe, she ran away?"

"There must be a reason for that though."

"Whatever, it is. I'm sure it's very much unacceptable."

After that, I quickly parted from the hug, and looked at them with a glare, making them shut up.

"If you're done gossiping about me and my own family matters you can leave now." I said, while still glaring at them.

They didn't dispersed, so I only did what's right in protecting what's mine.

"You guys, won't leave? Fine then. I'm fine with that, but don't tell me I didn't warn you guys about this." I said, and went over Yeji eonni, and took her sword, surprising her.

"You see, the reason why, I'm called the 'Prodigy Princess' is because I can do many things that some royalties can't. Or in other words, Princesses." I said, and played with the sword, in my hand, and glared at them.

"I can say that. The person you call 'Princess Minju'. Can't do it as well, but if she can, she's not as skilled as I am." I said, and looked at them.

"So, I could get my title back, I would like to challenge Princess Minju, in a duel." I said, while the other royalties started whispering again.

"It's fine. If that is what she wants then, she'll get it." A voice said, while the crowd made an aisle for her, to walk on. Showing the girl, who I thought I will never see ever again.

'She's the girl, Beomgyu hugged back then.' I thought.

She was still busy walking on the aisle as if there was stage for her to walk on.

'Psssh... What is this a fashion show?' I thought.

"That isn't fair! Princess Minju! Please reconsider! You're going to fight her in a gown?! While she's wearing clothes that doesn't restrain any body movements!" I heard somebody shout.

"No, it's fine.... I believe that she doesn't know how skilled I am, with swords. With or without proper equipment." She said, while smirking.

'She's a fool... she doesn't really know who she's going against with...' I thought, and mentally smirked.

"If that's what you guys think about it. Then, I'll change my clothes, then." I said and turned around, and signaled Mel to come over. Once, she saw it, she quickly went over to me and bowed.

"Yes, Princess Ryujin?" She asked, while bowing.

"Come on, I know you brought a gown, with you." I said, and left towards the sleeping quarters for maids.

***

I was finally done from changing myself, of course with the help of Mel, because I need somebody to fix the gown for me. We were just currently getting warmed up, because we both are currently wearing gowns, and having a sword fight in gowns is not something you want to do, in your whole entire life time.

Once, we were done, we quickly got ready to do this duel, but of course in every duel out there, there has to somebody who will judge our movements.

I was busy getting in position, I heard somebody say something to me. I do admit that kind of surprised me.

"Good luck, Ryujin..." I heard somebody say, and to be honest I looked at the person who said it, just to meet a blonde haired boy who was walking away. In short it was Beomgyu.

I looked at my opponent to see that she has a good posture, despite being in a gown.

'This might take awhile....' I thought.

And we looked at the person in charge for signal, and once he released it, we quickly withdrew our swords and started slashing it against each other.

***

We were already done with the match and it ended with her, and her butt flat on the ground, and not to mention I actually thought that the duel, will last longer than that, but, I was wrong.

'She didn't even last 10 minutes. And they say she's the next "Prodigy Princess". She's just another of those Princess Wannabe's out there. And they say she's a good contender to take away what's mine?' I thought, and mentally face palmed.

I can actually see, the reactions of the spectators, and I do admit I really want to laugh right now. But, I know that it's not the time for that, right now. Plus, we aren't those kinds of people, who laugh at people who lose.

I quickly fixed my posture that can define the words: 'Prim and proper'. I quickly threw away the sword and held out a hand to help her, stand up. But, instead she looked at me, as if I was somebody who just did her wrong. In short she despised me.

She stood up on her own, and quickly brushed the dust off her gown. Some, maids were helping her, but she keeps on slapping their hands away. Rude.

While also saying mean stuff to those maids. "Keep your dirty hands off me." I honestly feel sad for those maids, they are only doing their jobs and yet they got that kind of treatment?

Once, they were done with fixing her, she looked at me with those annoying eyes of her. "I don't need your help. You are just like the other princesses out there. You just want to get Prince Beomgyu's attention." She said, and left. While, those maids quickly followed her.

To be honest, I don't care what she did and what she said. But, comparing me to some other princesses is just low, even for her, or for the both of us.

'Knowing our statuses in life, she still does those kinds of things? She's so childish. Comparing her to Yuna, she is much more childish than her.' I thought, but I didn't mind it, and just turned around to make my way to Yuna and my parents.

'She really is some kind of princess, for that really interesting attitude of hers. I have a feeling; I have to look out for what I have to do in, the future.' I thought, and before I even knew it I reached their place, and then quickly smiled. Fake smile.

I'm tired. I'm always like this, may it be In front of them, or other people, and I'm always like this. The only person who knows about this is a few people, that I trust namely, Mel, Yuna, and Chaeryeong.